Your Ultimate Exams Week Survival Guide

Exams are almost here! Whether you are a teacher, a student , a head of department (HOD), or a parent, I bet this previous statement is not pleasant for you. Exams week is always stressful and exhausting. That’s why we created an ultimate guide for all parties involved. Find out how to survive this tough time while achieving the best results.

For Students:

As students are the center of the educational process, we have created this infographicto help them get through. Share it with your students/children to help them get the most out of their exams week.

For Teachers:

1) Know your students and their level

While exams are one of the main methods used to evaluate students, you, as their teacher, need to have an idea about their level beforehand. Whether by observing them in class or looking at previous quizzes grades, you can get an estimate throughout the semester. You can then create exams that are neither too easy or too difficult.

2) Make sure students know the content of the exam

Make students aware of exactly what they will be examined in. Give them a list of topics or of the units in the book that they need to study. This will give them a sense of the time needed to study, and they will be able to use it as a checklist.

If you are going to focus on a certain topic while creating the exam, let the students know. There is no point in tricking them. At the end of the day, the purpose is to motivate them and develop their knowledge and skills. Therefore, bring them in the loop and share with them what the exam will look like.

3) Guide your students through studying, but make them do the work

Studying is a skill that students can get better or worse at. Therefore, you can help students through this process by showing them how to study. Let them know about different studying techniques according to their learning styles. Show them where to search for solutions if they are stuck, and be there to answer their questions. Skolera LMS offers a messaging system between students and teachers. Students can use it to ask you questions when they need help.

However, beware. It is easy to take this a step further and start doing more than you should. For example, solving some questions with the students before the exam, then getting those questions in the exam, will not benefit the students. They will just repeat the same answer and will not use their analytical skills. It will also not show you their actual level of comprehension and their ability to perform. Therefore, it is important to keep a balance.

For HODs:

1) Be prepared

HODs and supervisors have a lot of responsibilities, and sometimes they vary from a school to another. The most common between all those tasks is being in charge. Students, teachers, and parents all go to HODs and supervisors with different inquiries and issues. Therefore, in a critical time like exams week, the only thing they can do is be prepared.

Organize the exam schedule so that it doesn’t clash with anything else as important. You can create this schedule using Skolera LMS. You will be able to see them in day, week, and month view, to have an overall perspective of what is going on in your school.

You should also be ready with solutions and answers to everyone’s requests. Finish all the tasks (that are not related to exams) before the examination period starts. And, most importantly, keep in mind that schools are usually hectic, so be as mentally and emotionally prepared as possible until it passes.

2) Communicate

Every school has a different system of communication. It is important to know how to use this system effectively. Make sure everyone knows their responsibilities and duties so that everything works as smoothly as possible. As a HOD or a supervisor, you can have a lot to do. Don’t shy away from asking for help. Assign some tasks to others if you need to.

Skolera LMS offers multiple options to facilitate communication within schools. For example, HODs can send and receive messages to and from any of the members of the classes they supervise. They can also post announcements to all members of a certain course if they need to deliver a quick memo.

For Parents:

1) Know their schedule

This may sound like an intuitive thing to do. You probably know when your children have exams, but do you know details? Do you know when are the exact test dates? What about final paper deadlines? Are there certain subjects that they are struggling with?

To be able to give proper support to your child, you need to know more than just the fact that it’s exams week. Understanding their situation on a deeper level will also make them feel like you can relate to them, which will help them get through.

2) Be a source of encouragement, not a source of stress

We know you want the best for them. We know you want them to get high grades. Getting them worried is not the way. Many parents think that pressuring their children to study more is the right thing to do. However, this either creates a mood of reluctance or one of anxiety. Some children will feel like they study for their parents, believing the high grades they might get to be rewarding for their parents more than themselves. Other students will get too stressed and anxious to be able to study effectively.

In both situations, pressuring children to study will be counterproductive. Parents should instead encourage their children. Show them that success feels good and that getting high grades will feel rewarding. Let them take responsibility of their work. What if your child gets a bad grade? It will be a consequence that they are dealing with. This way, they can learn from their mistakes and work harder next time.

3) Provide them with a comfortable, relaxing place to study

Having a designated desk or table to sit at while studying can help them focus and be organized. Try to make the chair they sit on comfortable and upright. Students also need a quiet atmosphere to concentrate and have a clear mind. Therefore, postponing family gatherings and visits till after exams week can be helpful. You should also try to limit different distraction at the time of studying, like other siblings playing or loud TV sound.

Follow this list to help you get through exams week. Check our blog regularly to follow the best practices and the latest technological advancements in education. You can also check out Skolera LMS to learn more about how it can help your educational institution.